A year has passed since Justin's accident. What has become of his and Brian's relationship, as well as those of Gus & Tristan, and Kayla & River? Concluding chapter!
Justin opened his eyes slowly; as usual, he had fallen asleep atop Brian's shoulder while his partner slept on his back, his hand wrapped protectively around his waist. Brian had begun doing that on a regular basis after his accident; it was almost as if he were afraid he might sneak away from him in the middle of the night. Of course, he would never consider doing that; the thought of being apart from Brian for too long was much too painful to ever contemplate, and even after he no longer needed help recuperating, he had spent as much time as he could with Brian. Once he had fully recovered, however, it had taken all the emotional fortitude he had to insist on returning to his own apartment for the next few months to live independently. Even though he would have loved nothing more than to have stayed there every night with Brian - and to move in with him, which was what Brian had suggested - he knew that Gus still needed some time to become accustomed to their relationship. So with extreme reluctance, he had managed to persuade Brian it was for the best. Fortunately, Gus's budding romance with Tristan had helped smooth things over to the point where after three months, when his lease had come up for renewal, Justin had packed up all his things and rented a U-Haul to cart what little possessions he had over to Brian's loft, and they had never looked back since.
He wasn't aware Brian was awake until he blinked his eyes and looked up to see Brian smiling back at him. Just like always, the tender look on his face made his heart skip a beat.
"Good morning, Sunshine," Brian whispered in a sleep-filled, lazy voice, his eyes boring into his so intensely that it made Justin blush.
He smiled warmly back at him. "Good morning to you, too..." Justin frowned slightly, noticing an odd look on Brian's face; while Brian's actions today might be typical of their morning wake-ups together on his days off, today was a work day, but Brian just lay there, gazing up at him. Plus, there was something indecipherable behind his eyes that he couldn't quite place. Despite the fact that Brian had some important meetings today, he seemed to be in no hurry to get up and get dressed for work, which was his normal ritual. Brian was anal about never being late for work, and he had told him last night that he had a meeting this morning that he couldn't miss. But instead of kissing face with him for a couple of minutes and then rising from the bed to start his shower, he lingered there in bed, simply staring at him, his fingers languorously tracing patterns on his skin and making Justin shiver over his touch. And the enigmatic, Mona Lisa smile he was wearing told him that something was definitely different today.
"Didn't you tell me you have a important meeting today?" Justin prompted quietly, wondering if perhaps he had misunderstood.
"Yup," Brian answered simply, pulling Justin close to him as he rested his chin on the top of his blond head.
"Brian?"
"Hmm?" He answered, taking a moment to inhale Justin's familiar shampoo. He had tried numerous times to get him to use his more expensive brand of shampoo, but his lover insisted on continuing to use some type of cheaper shit that had coconuts in it and reminded him more of suntan lotion. But he really didn't mind; it was one more thing he associated with his lover, and he found all the quirky parts of him totally endearing. It was part of who Justin was, and he secretly wouldn't change a thing.
"What the fuck is going on?" Justin asked under him, not moving.
"Nothing..." Brian mumbled as Justin lifted his head to peer up at him. "Why do you think anything's wrong?" He smirked. "Are you complaining about not being fucked hard enough last night? Gus might beg to differ." He paused before adding, "That reminds me; I really need to look into installing more soundproofing in this bedroom."
Justin's face heated as memories regarding their fast and furious lovemaking last night came to mind. Brian had been on a business trip for a couple of days and he had missed him terribly. They had more than made up for being apart last night, however, once he had returned. "Don't try to change the subject," Justin scolded him as he forced his mind back to the present. "You're acting kind of weird today; even more than normal," he teased as Brian arched his eyebrows. "Tell me what's going on."
One side of Brian's mouth quirked up in amusement over Justin's insistence as he told him softly, "I'll tell you tonight, I promise. Now let's get dressed, or I'll be late for my meeting and you'll be late for class." Giving Justin a playful peck on the nose, Brian disentangled himself from his lover's embrace and rose from the bed, leaving Justin reclining on his side in confusion.
"Wha...? Brian!" he huffed in frustration, dying to know what was going on.
Brian smirked. "Come on, Sunshine; you wouldn't want the truant officer coming out here to look for you, would we?"
Justin snorted. "I'm well over eighteen, smartass, and I'm not in high school anymore, remember? I think I'm safe from the goon squad being called out."
Brian grinned as he headed into the adjoining, master bathroom and turned on the water. Justin flopped down onto the mattress in exasperation until he heard Brian call out a few seconds later, "Well, are you coming in before the water turns cold or not?"
Grinning, he hurried to slide out of bed, deciding the other matter could wait for the time being.
A few minutes later...
Kayla giggled from her place at the end of Gus's bed; as she did from time to time when they were cramming for an exam, she had spent the night at Gus's loft on the fold-out couch in his father's office. She blushed as she heard the sounds coming from the shower down the hall; it was clear what was going on. "Can't you hear that?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide.
"Are you kidding?" Gus retorted from the head of the bed. "I'm sure everyone in the building can hear them! And it's every morning, too! Gross!" he promptly jammed his pillow over his head, hoping to drown out the unmistakable noises down the hall.
"Hey!" Gus groused shortly afterward as Kayla crawled up to the head of the bed and yanked his pillow away from him. She was still wearing her matching, fuchsia-colored, 'princess' pajamas as she asked him, "You mean gross, because it's your dad?" She asked quietly as Gus peered up at her. "Or gross because of who he's doing it with? I thought you were finally okay with the whole Justin thing... I mean, come on! It's been a year! And, besides," she added with a waggling of her eyebrows. "You've got your own hot stud now," she teased him. Even though objectively she knew her brother was handsome, it was still a little hard to picture him that way with her best friend. Funny how life turns out, she thought.
Gus huffed at her in irritation. "Of course it's because it's my dad!" he confirmed. "Does he have to be so loud?" he couldn't help grumbling. "Until Justin came along, he tried to be more discreet."
She laughed over his choice of words. "Discreet? How?"
"He didn't bring anyone HOME before," Gus explained. "I mean, I knew he liked to, well, you know. But I never knew how, how...enthusiastic he could get. Shit." He sighed as Kayla placed her hand over her mouth to keep from bursting out laughing.
Gus glared at her. "It's not funny! You're not here every morning and night! I'm going to have to invest in some heavy-duty ear plugs. Trust me, what you hear right now is mild compared to what's usually going on! YOU try living with these two every day! Sheesh."
"Excuse me? Do you remember who you're talking to? You and Tristan, my big brother, mind you, have turned our house into your own, personal sex den!"
Gus opened his mouth to protest before Kayla effectively prevented it by placing her fingers over his mouth. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she reminded him, "Just answer me this, Stud. How many times now have I walked in on you and my brother doing things that have come perilously close to blinding me for life?"
Gus had to count mentally in his head for a few seconds before he answered, blushing profusely, "Seven."
Kayla smirked in triumph. "Right! Well, at least they have the decency to close the door!" she pointed out as she smacked his lower leg. It was amazing in a way, just how much they could hear them down the hall, even with the door closed. When it came to being vocal, she had to admit that they were hands down the winners when compared with Gus and her brother.
"Okay, okay! Fine!" Gus huffed. "You're right. I can't help it if Tristan and I have to make up for lost time..."
Kayla grinned. "Speaking of my brother, someone's coming back home tonight, you know," she sing-songed.
Gus smiled, his face warming as he told her, "Yeah... I know." Gus was elated; he hadn't seen Tristan in two weeks. With Gus still being in the Pitts, and Tristan attending an engineering seminar out of town, it had been hard to sustain a long-distance relationship. But they had texted, talked, and skyped all the time while he had been gone. It still didn't replace the time when they could be together, though. Thank God Tristan's college was in town, though, or Gus thought he might combust from longing for him.
Kayla rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "I should have figured," she replied wryly as Gus grinned. Just then, her cellphone vibrated. Gus smirked. "Help! Help! I need the police!" he cried out in a high-pitched voice like a damsel in distress as he clutched at his chest.
"Shut up!" she groused as Gus laughed, grabbing her phone from the bed to read the incoming message:
Good morning, Princess! I saw you last night and still I miss you. Every minute without you seems so long...Can't wait for tonight
Love you
R
Kayla sighed dreamily; she couldn't think of a more perfect boyfriend. How did she get to be so lucky? She had taken her brother's advice several months ago, despite her trepidation that River would dump her when he found out she was not quite eighteen, and had told him the truth about her age after the end of their first date. To her immense relief, she had not only discovered that they had a lot in common, but he had been a true gentleman about the whole thing, deciding that Kayla was worth the wait. The time until they could finally consummate their relationship seemed to take forever, but it had definitely been worth it. It wasn't too long ago that she had fretted about never finding someone to care about her. But when River came along unexpectedly, everything had changed, and now she couldn't be happier.
She smiled smugly as she showed the message to her best friend.
Gus snorted at the overly corny lines. "Kayla and River sitting in a tree..." Gus sang, teasing her with a grin. She promptly shoved him as he laughed.
"You are SUCH a dork!" she retorted as she launched herself from the bed and shuffled off to Gus's bathroom, her friend's laughter ringing in her ears. "Aaargh! Boys!" she cried out as she slammed the door behind her.
Gus scooted up in the bed, laughing as he glanced over at Kayla's cellphone. He loved to tease his best friend, but he had to admit it. All kidding aside, River had turned out to be just what the doctor had ordered for Kayla. He treated her like a lady; almost like some rare, precious jewel. It had been a tumultuous year in some ways - especially when Kayla had had to testify in court against Owen before he was thankfully convicted and sentenced to two years in prison - but for the most part it had been a happy year for his best friend; for all of them.
Rolling his eyes at the muffled moans and vocalizations still echoing off the closed walls of the master bathroom, he rose from the bed and walked over to his closet, thankful when the sounds of his father and Justin's latest 'shower' finally stopped. "Cleanest guys in town," he snickered. Shaking his head over his father's stamina, he began to hunt out what he would wear to school.
Later that Evening...Kayla and Tristan's house
Gus stood impatiently in front of the expansive, living room window, bouncing lightly back and forth on his feet as he waited for Tristan to arrive. The day has passed by at an excruciatingly measured pace, the clock seemingly in slow motion as the minutes ticked by. Finally, though, the time had arrived. Tristan had called him a while ago, informing him he was on the outskirts of town and would be there soon. Gus gripped his arms impatiently across his chest, holding his breath when he finally saw Tristan's car pulling up at the curb. He had missed him so damn much! It was almost unbearable to be apart from him, and he knew Tristan felt the same way. It was only a temporary inconvenience, he knew, until he graduated from high school and they could be together all the time. But for now, they would have to take advantage of the time when they could be together and make the most of it.
Gus barely waited for Tristan's vehicle to come to a stop and for the other boy to emerge from the car before he bolted out of the house and ran down the steps, uncaring as to whether or not he appeared too overeager. Tristan laughed as Gus came bounding up and launched himself into his waiting arms, plastering his body tightly against his beautiful boyfriend.
"God! I missed you so much!" Tristan said as he held him in his arms. After a few seconds, he pulled back enough to grip the other boy's face in his hands and stare into the boundless, chocolate-brown eyes.
"Me, too," Gus answered huskily as Tristan began to kiss him deeply, both boys oblivious to anyone else who might be watching.
"Hey! Love birds! I'd like to say hello to my brother if you can stop sucking face for a moment," Kayla wisecracked after several seconds as she stood behind them. She smirked. "I know you have a lot of days to make up for, but you need to get a room...or a house..."
They reluctantly broke apart with goofy-type smiles on their faces as Tristan waggled his eyebrows. "Yeah, thanks for reminding me, Sis. Making up for lost time is exactly what I had in mind!" he told her as he stared intently over at Gus, who licked his lips in anticipation.
"Ewww, stop looking at each other that way!" Kayla groused as the two boys burst out laughing. "Now see if you can detach yourself from Gus the octopus and come and give me a hug, Big Bro!"
Tristan grinned. "Come here!" He told her as he swept her up into his strong arms and wrapped them around her smaller frame. He knew that no matter what happened, and no matter where life took them, he and his sister would always share this special bond. He glanced up to see Gus smiling back at him, and he couldn't help thinking how lucky he was.
A few hours later... Early evening
"Cynthia, you can head on out," Brian responded from behind his desk as he heard the door opening, his head stuck in his laptop as he finished up another successful meeting with a highly sought-after client. He hoped to be leaving himself very soon; it had been a long day.
"Will do," Cynthia said. "But first, you've got a visitor."
Brian's face broke out into a tired but genuinely happy smile as raised his head and realized who it was. "Sonny Boy! What are you doing here?" he asked as he pushed back from his desk and walked over to his son. He nodded at Cynthia in dismissal, who waved goodbye to him before turning to go.
Brian gave his son a brief hug before joking, "I figured with Tristan coming back home that I wouldn't see any sign of you for at least a couple of days."
"Don't worry; we've already made up for some lost time."
Brian laughed. "That's my son!" he praised him as Gus grinned. "I would have expected nothing less. So what are you doing here?"
Gus huffed in disbelief. "Are you kidding? And leave you alone tonight? You need all the support you can get, Dad!" he teased him with a smile. "You're not fooling me. I know you've got to be nervous."
"Who...me?" his father countered before conceded, "Yeah...me. Nervous as hell." He smiled at his son affectionately, amazed by the boy's thoughtfulness. "I'm really glad you're here," he told him tenderly as they hugged again, Gus recalling the conversation that had led up to this moment...
One Month Earlier...Loft
Gus stood at the window waving goodbye to Tristan, sighing as he watched his boyfriend heading back home; he had a big test tomorrow, so they had to call it an early night. They had just finished having dinner with his dad and Justin, and it had gone very well. Over the past several months, there had been some initial awkwardness, especially between him and Justin. But they had sat down, sometimes by themselves and sometimes with his father, to talk openly and candidly about their situation, and eventually with Tristan's love and devotion to him, the strangeness had subsided to where they were all comfortable with each other; so much so, in fact, that he and Justin's friendship had been reestablished and he enjoyed being in his company again. The previous days of discontent and awkwardness had given way now to a more easygoing, amicable arrangement, much to everyone's relief.
He grinned; it helped, too, that Justin had turned out to be an incredible cook. He found out that they both had a love for trying out different foods, and Justin seemed to delight in tormenting his father by sneaking in exotic foods he had never tried before. The two of them often shared a secret pact where Justin would tell his father he was serving one food when it was actually something else, and his father, being none the wiser, would eat it with great relish and compliment him on what a great meal it was. His father still didn't know that Justin had served him a buffalo meatloaf one night or tofu cheesecake.
"Everything okay with your grandmother?" he heard his father say as he turned around to observe Justin disconnecting his cellphone.
Justin nodded. "Yeah, she's fine," he reported. He grinned. "But she was calling me on the main business phone. She still can't figure out how to retrieve her voicemails. I think I'll run over there and see if I can't help her get it programmed right. I need to put my number - and yours, too, I guess - in there in case she ever needs me for something." Justin had bought his grandmother a new cellphone recently for her birthday, and it was a rather simplified model. But she was, to put it delicately, woefully and technically challenged. While his grandmother was still sharp as a tack mentally, and could email and text with the best of them, she was definitely in need of some cellphone training when it came to the mechanical features. "It shouldn't take long - hopefully," he said with a laugh. "She's pretty riled up at the moment about it, though. I think I even heard some cussing under her breath."
Brian laughed. "Well, that's a REAL emergency, then!" He walked over and gave Justin a brief kiss on the lips. "Be careful," he whispered, still remembering that awful night about a year ago when he almost lost him. "And take the Jeep," he instructed him as he reached inside his pocket to fish out his keys. Justin's insurance had paid for a replacement Harley after he had totaled it during the accident, but it still didn't keep Brian from doing whatever he could to help protect him, to Justin's chagrin.
Sure enough, Justin rolled his eyes as he huffed out an irritated breath. "Brian, I told you to stop acting like a mother hen! When are you going to stop hovering over me?"
"I'm not 'hovering.' It's cold out there and sprinkling. And it's dark." Justin bristled over being coddled, but Brian held his ground. "If you won't do it for yourself, then do it for your grandmother's peace of mind...and for mine. Okay?" A stony silence ensued. "Justin?" He stared unflinchingly into the defiant, blue eyes until he finally detected a softening there.
Justin let out a deep breath of resignation. "Okay, okay," he grumbled as he reached to take the key ring from Brian's hand. Brian used his advantage to grab onto his wrist to pull him closer. "Thanks," he spoke softly in his ear as he briefly rested his cheek against his lover's.
Justin nodded as they broke apart and he turned to go. "See you later, Gus," he called out to Brian's son, who had silently witnessed the tender scene playing out from a few feet away. Of course, it didn't surprise Gus at all. There was no doubt in his mind how much Justin and his father loved each other; it was obvious from months of watching them interact together. He understood clearly now that he had never really stood a chance with Justin from the first moment he had met him. And he honestly was okay with that knowledge now, since he had Tristan. He only hoped that one day he and Tristan would wind up with the same degree of love that the two of them so clearly shared.
He smiled over at Justin from his place on the couch. "Bye, Justin; say hello to your grandmother for me," he responded. He had met Justin's grandmother a few times over the past few months when she had come to visit, and had even gone with Justin on his bike once to have lunch with her at the retirement center. Surprisingly, he had found her to be in possession of a razor-sharp wit, and she was quite knowledgeable about current events. Plus, she had a wicked sense of humor, and regaled in telling the most off-color jokes she could think of, sometimes to her grandson's mortification. In short, he found her incredibly entertaining.
Justin nodded at Gus. "I will," he told him before he opened the door to Brian's loft and slipped outside, leaving father and son alone.
Brian watched until Justin closed the door, making sure he was gone, before he turned to face his son. He cleared his throat as Gus looked over at him expectantly. "Uh, Gus...I was going to wait and talk about this to you tomorrow when Justin wasn't around, but since he's left to go see his grandmother, I guess now is as good a time as any..." He walked over and sat down next to his son, their bodies angled so they were facing each other. How many times before had they sat on this exact, same couch, having heart-to-heart conversations about anything and everything under the sun? He had always been so grateful that he and his son could discuss anything. Now, however, he felt his palms getting clammy. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden?
"Gus...There's something important I need to talk to you about. And something I need to ask you. Probably the most important thing I might EVER ask of you. But I won't be comfortable forging ahead without your approval first."
Gus frowned. This sounded very serious. "What is it, Dad?" he asked a little anxiously. "Is it about Justin?" he ventured. He figured it had to involve him; practically everything involved Justin now where his Dad was concerned.
Brian nodded as he restlessly wiped his hands back and forth on the thighs of his jeans. Why was this so hard? "Yeah, it is," he confirmed. "Gus, I want the honest truth here, and I know you will be upfront with me like you always are. Are you truly okay with this? With me...and Justin?"
Gus furrowed his brow; why was this coming up now after all these months? He smiled at his father in reassurance. "Of course I am!" he told him firmly. "I figured you already knew that. It took me a while to adjust to it," he admitted. "But I'm happy with Tristan. And I know how happy Justin makes you, too. And how much you love him," he added softly. "Even when you don't say it out loud."
"I do," Brian admitted as he stared into his beloved son's eyes. "More and more every day. I love both of you," he rushed to reassure him. "Only in different ways."
Gus nodded. "I know that, Dad," he told him. "So why are you feeling this need all of a sudden to make sure?" He paused for a moment as a sudden thought occurred to him. Was he getting in the way of their relationship? Was that it? "Are you wanting me to move out?"
Brian frowned. "Huh?"
"Move out. Is that what this is all about? Are you wanting more time to be alone with him? I guess it's kind of a bummer having your teenage son around to cramp your style..." He bit his lip in uncertainty, suddenly feeling a little vulnerable. He wondered if Kayla and Tristan's mom would permit him to move into their house. She seemed to be fine about his relationship with Tristan, to his relief; Mrs. Callahan might not be the most responsible parent in the world, but at least she wasn't a homophobe and actually approved of him and Tristan being together. Would she be happy with her son's underage, teenage lover moving in on a permanent basis, though? It turned out that he didn't need to worry about that, however, because he soon found out he was way off the mark in his assumptions.
"What? Why would you think that?"
"I would think it's pretty obvious. I understand. Just give me a little time to figure out what to do and where to go, and..." He stopped as his father reached out to grasp his upper arm and shake him gently as if he were trying to knock some sense into him.
"No, Sonny Boy! That's not what I mean at ALL! Fuck, did you really think that Justin and I didn't want you around?" He shook his head in disbelief as Gus shrugged. "We both want you here! That will never change. This is your home, too, as long as you want it to be." His voice softened with tenderness as he told him, "You're my son, Gus. You will always be welcome here, no matter where life takes you or how old you get to be. And you will always be my son; my special, amazing son that I love very much. I'm so proud of you, Sonny Boy. That's why I have something to ask you. And I hope you'll say yes."
"I love you, too, Dad," he choked out at last with a smile, relieved. "I mean, I'll be going off to college soon, and I know Tristan and I spend a lot of time together already. But you're right; this will always be home to me."
"Good." He paused. "Well, I'm glad that's cleared up."
Gus nodded before his father's other words sank in. He frowned in confusion. "So if that's not it, just what is it that you wanted to ask me that you didn't want Justin to hear?"
"Your spring break is in a month, right? The second week of April?"
Gus nodded, still not sure where this was leading. "Yeah. It starts on the 7th."
Brian smiled. "And Tristan's is at the same time."
Gus couldn't help blushing a little. "Yeah." He took a deep breath. Then it occurred to him; he hadn't talked to his Dad yet about something. "Uh, Dad, that reminds me. Tristan and I, well, since we were both going to be off at the same time - and it's hard enough to get together as it is - well, we were hoping we could take a little trip while we were both on break. Maybe the mountains? We have never been whitewater rafting, and we heard it's awesome on the Gulley River!" Gus's eyes lit up with anticipation, both over the trip as well as the chance to be alone for an extended length of time with his boyfriend. But his face dropped as he saw his father shake his head.
"Sorry, Sonny Boy, but you'll have to wait to go rafting."
"Why? I thought you approved of us being..."
"Hear me out," Brian insisted as he interrupted him. "Let me explain first, okay?"
Gus pursed his lips together tightly in disappointment, but he finally nodded.
A few minutes later, once his father had finally disclosed what he needed and Gus had picked his jaw up off the floor, his mood had done a 180-degree turn. "Oh, my God!" he shrieked, not caring if he sounded more like Kayla at the moment. "Are you serious? Really?"
Brian smiled. "Really."
"You're not bullshitting me."
Brian laughed at the incredulous look on Gus's face. "No, I can assure you I am deadly serious." He grimaced. "Perhaps I should rephrase that, considering what I'm about to do."
Gus shook his head, a beaming smile on his face. "No, no," he told him. "I'm just shocked, that's all."
"Good or bad shocked?" Brian asked a little nervously.
Gus laughed. "No, Dad, it's a good kind of shock," he assured him. "Shit! Wait until I tell Tristan about spring break! He is going to FREAK OUT!"
"Whoa, Gus. I have one more, very important detail yet to take care of as you know, and I need to work up to it. So as hard as I'm sure it will be, this is just between the two of us for now. Okay?"
Gus looked like he was going to bust, but he finally nodded. "Okay, okay, I won't tell him - yet. But hurry up!"
Brian chuckled. "I'll do my best. Wish me luck," he pleaded, his stomach already tied up in knots over what he was about to do.
Gus reached over to embrace his father. "I do, Dad. I do. All the luck in the world. But something tells me you won't need it."
Present Time...A Few Minutes Later...
Brian studied himself in his office's private bathroom mirror. "How do I look?" he asked his son as he twisted around to look at his backside. He had taken a shower and slipped into more casual wear, cast in a pair of black, denim, skinny jeans, a sleeveless, dark green, satin shirt that molded expertly to his chest, his favorite black, leather bomber jacket, and a pair of black, leather boots. He had splashed on some of Justin's favorite cologne and had finger-combed his hair for a more informal look. He knew that Justin loved it when he looked 'dangerous.' At least, that was the word that Justin used to describe it. He preferred to call it his 'fuck-me' look. But he found that he kind of liked Justin's description of it better - and more importantly, the blatant look of desire that it engendered on his lover's face.
Gus chuckled as he placed his arms on his father's shoulders from behind and looked at their reflections in the mirror. "You look great as always, Dad. Now take some deep breaths and relax, okay? Everything's going to be just fine. Have you got everything you need?"
Brian let out a deep breath as Gus instructed, trying to push some of the stress away from his shoulders. Normally he never got this nervous, even when he was trying to romance some big-name client and lure them into Kinnetik's fold. But tonight, he was going to do some 'other' type of romancing, a kind that could mean a big change in his life. But he knew deep down that he was ready for it. The only question now was - was Justin ready as well?
"Yeah, I think so, at least."
Gus kneaded his father's shoulder muscles and smiled over how tight they felt. "Boy, you are nervous! Come on, Dad! Chill out! Everything's going to be okay. Now we'd better get going, or you're going to be late." Gus would be driving his father to his destination, since it had been raining steadily earlier in the morning, and Justin had wound up taking his father's Jeep to art school.
Brian nodded as he turned to face his son. "I guess this is it, then," he told him.
Gus smiled, amused by his father's atypical jitters. "You'll be fine. Just say what's in your heart, Dad," he urged him softly. "And whatever you do, don't fuck it up! My spring break is on the line here!"
His teasing had the desired effect on his father as he gave him a brief, incredulous look before he noticed his son's eyes twinkling playfully. "Thanks, I'll remember that," he told him wryly before he inhaled and let out another breath. Nodding at his son, he turned around and clamped a hand on Gus's shoulder as the two of them headed toward the door leading out of his office. He paused briefly, mentally making sure he had everything he would need, until Gus barked out, "Dad, come on! Go! You're my father! You're invincible. Now just go DO it!"
"Yes, Sir," Brian murmured before, with a nod, he turned to follow his son down the hallway and toward the entrance. He had a very important mission tonight.
Thirty Minutes Later - Ferguson Park Across Town - 10:00 p.m.
Sitting on top of a wooden picnic table with his feet planted on the bench part, Justin turned his head as he heard a vehicle approaching, a little skittish about being there near the lake by himself after dark. The park actually closed at dusk, so he found himself all alone there, waiting for Brian to show up.
He had no idea what was going on, except that Brian had asked him to meet him there, and had told him not to eat a lot for dinner, which suggested to him that hopefully he would be bringing some sort of carryout with him. At least he hoped so; he had done as Brian had requested, and now he was starving to death. He squinted against the headlights as the vehicle grew nearer, thinking he saw two people in the front seat. Was he wrong about it being Brian? If so, who was it?
The vehicle pulled up closer and stopped, and he let out a sigh of relief as he recognized the tall, lanky form emerging from the passenger side of the vehicle. Of course; he had Brian's jeep, so Gus must have driven him here. He watched as Brian opened up the backseat of the jeep and retrieved what appeared to be a blanket and a...picnic basket? At least that's what it appeared to be under the half-moon and stars shining above. He saw Brian wave to his son before Gus turned the car and headed back out toward the entrance, leaving the two of them alone.
Justin scrambled off the picnic table as Brian walked toward him. His lover had just enough time to drop the basket and blanket down onto the ground before Justin crashed into him and plastered his lips against his. Brian chuckled against their kiss as he obligingly opened up his mouth to engage Justin in a few minutes of tongue-fucking with his eager, blond lover, their arms winding around each other as they melted into their embrace as if they had been separated forever, rather than just for several hours.
Finally coming up for air a few minutes later with their arms still around each other, Brian smirked. "I'm not sure if you're happy to see me, or happy because you know I've brought food."
Justin grinned, his teeth gleaming in the moonlight. "Both," he admitted as Brian laughed. "You told me not to eat much for dinner, and I'm famished now," he explained.
Brian snorted. "Wow, that's novel," he quipped as Justin smacked him on the chest. He laughed as he took Justin's hand. "Come on, let's set up our picnic and get you fed, or you won't be receptive to anything else."
"What else?" Justin asked curiously as they walked over to retrieve the items Brian had brought. He stooped down to pick up the blanket off the ground as Brian grasped the handles of the basket. "Are we going to have calisthenics afterward to work off some of our dinner?" he asked impertinently.
"Oh, I'm always 'up' for a little exercise when it comes to you," Brian told him, waggling his eyebrows suggestively as he led Justin over toward the lake, trying to estimate the same, exact spot where the two of them had been previously. In a way, it seemed like so long ago, but in another way, it felt like it had happened yesterday. "Maybe we'll have our own performance of Shakespeare in the Park. But let's eat first, okay?"
Justin nodded as he followed Brian closer to the gently sloping bank near the lake, watching as his partner took the blanket from him and unfurling it to flutter down onto the ground. The rain that had pelted the area so furiously earlier in the day had long dissipated, leaving enough time for the spring grass to dry and for the clouds to clear out, bathing the park with starlight now.
Brian placed the basket down on a corner of the blanket and sat down. "Come here," he urged Justin softly in such a tender voice that it made Justin's heart skip a beat.
Justin did as he asked, plopping down to sit beside him Indian style as Brian opened up the picnic basket and began to pluck out several items. Justin smiled as he recognized some of the items by smell, even though they were still covered up. "Fettuccini Alfredo, spaghetti and meatballs, and tiramisu? You didn't bring the same waiter here to serve it, too? I'm sure he would have been more than happy to take care of you."
Brian grinned, pleased that Justin realized it was the same meal they had eaten before. "Well, he can just fantasize about me," Brian told him as he opened up the dome lids of the two main courses, "because I'm no longer on the menu."
"Well, you'd better not be, Mr. Kinney!" Justin couldn't help replying a little defensively. Brian was such a gorgeous, classically handsome man who turned heads wherever he went; sometimes he felt inferior next to him, although he knew many men found him attractive as well. There was just something very formidable about Brian, however, that still made him feel a little unsure of himself at times.
Brian leaned over to gently kiss Justin on the lips in reassurance. "I've been 'off the menu' for quite a while now; I would say about the time I met you - and we wound up here for our first dinner," he admitted. And it was true; once he had met Justin, he found that no one else compared - in so many ways.
Justin flushed with pleasure over that statement; Brian always made him feel so special. Of course, he always had. God, he loved this man so much! He took a deep breath to try and still his furiously beating heart. "So what's this all about, Brian? Why did you want to meet me here?"
Instead of answering him, Brian turned and handed him the plate of spaghetti and meatballs. "Remember, we're going to eat first," he reminded him mysteriously. "And then we'll talk about it, okay?"
Justin gazed into his face, noting how the auburn highlights in his lover's hair reflected under the myriad of stars shining down on them, before he nodded back at him with a curious smile. Taking the plate and balancing it on his knees, Brian smiled back at him before he fished out the bottle of red wine and a corkscrew to open it up.
Thirty Minutes Later...
"Weren't you hungry? You barely touched any of your meal," Justin pointed out as he placed the lid back over his now-empty plate and laid it down beside him on the grass. He hadn't realized just how hungry he had been, but once he had started tearing into his meal, he found that he had been starving.
"More wine?" Brian asked as he held the bottle out toward him. Justin peered over at him for a moment before he held his glass out toward him and nodded, still wondering what was going on.
"Thanks," he murmured before he took a sip. Holding it by the stem with his hand, he watched Brian swirl the contents around in his own goblet before he belted back half the wine in one gulp as if he were steeling himself for something unpleasant. He frowned, starting to become a little worried now. If he didn't know better, he would say that Brian was nervous about something. Was that why he had been so enigmatic tonight, and so reticent to tell him what was on his mind? Finally, he couldn't stand it any longer. "Brian, what is going on with you? Have I done something wrong? Is it Gus?"
Brian let out a deep breath before he shook his head. He knew it was time; he couldn't put it off any longer. Reaching over, he took Justin's goblet and, setting them both down on a clean plate nearby, he turned to face him. God, he took his breath away! His blond hair was shining radiantly under the starlight, and his expressive eyes were gleaming back at him curiously. Despite the multitude of questions that were no doubt flooding through Justin's mind, he knew that Justin loved him. Was it enough, though, to get what he wanted? What he never thought in his wildest dreams he would want? Of course, that had been before Justin had come along and promptly rewritten everything he had ever believed in; or didn't believe in.
"No, it's nothing like that," he assured him at last as he realized Justin was waiting for an answer. He smiled over at him, the sounds of an occasional frog escaping from the nearby water, before he urged him, "Lie down here on the blanket with me, Juliet, and your Romeo will tell you a story now."
Justin snorted at the familiar nickname as Brian chuckled over his reaction, but he moved to do as Brian asked, their shoulders touching together as they gazed up quietly at the wondrous sky above them. Brian was secretly thrilled that it looked just like that other night so long ago, a magical night when he had found himself entranced by this man lying next to him, his arm curled around his shoulder. He had gone to great lengths to make sure he replicated that first date, so he was enormously relieved that Mother Nature herself had cooperated so spectacularly. The two of them lay there quietly for a while, the soft hair at the back of Justin's neck brushing against his arm as his lover rested his head there, his breathing soft and reassuring. It had been a long journey, sometimes a tumultuous, rocky journey; one at times that he wasn't sure would end the way he wanted it to. But it had all finally been worth it, because of this moment; right here, right now. He took a deep breath before he finally began to speak.
"Justin?"
"Hmm?"
"Remember that night you brought me here?"
Justin smiled in recollection. "Of course I do," he told him softly. "It was great," he told him simply.
Brian nodded. "Yeah, it was. He tilted his head until their heads were touching now. "Do you remember what you told me then? About the stars?'
Justin nodded as the memories came flooding back to him. "Yeah. I told you how much I liked to stare up at the sky and look at the stars...because it made me feel less alone." He smiled, hardly able to believe what had happened over the past year since that night. "I don't feel that way anymore, though, Brian," he told him earnestly. "Not since I met you."
Almost of one accord, the two reached to clasp their hands together between them, continuing to stare up at the millions and millions of stars twinkling above. Brian spoke up softly again after a few moments. "Do you remember how I told you back then that you would never be alone again?"
Justin smiled as he savored the touch of Brian's hand, and the feel of his body touching his. Nodding, he said, "I remember."
"I meant it back then, Justin. I...Just like I can't imagine Gus never being in my life, I feel the same way about you. I never want that to happen. I want us to be together always. I never want you to ever feel alone again," he told him, his heart pounding. "Justin, I..."
Justin turned his head as Brian faltered; it wasn't like his lover to sound hesitant. "Brian, what is it?" he prompted him softly as Brian turned his head as well to stare into his face, their lips inches apart. Brian released Justin's hand so he could reach over and cup his cheek tenderly.
Taking another deep breath, he let it out before he began to explain, "I...I love you, Justin. You make me do things and say things I never thought I would ever say or do before. Sometimes it scares the shit out of me," he admitted as Justin nodded in understanding. "But you also make my life feel so...complete."
Justin flashed him a radiant smile as he told him softly, "I feel the same way. And...I love you, too."
Brian studied the beautiful face before he challenged him gently, "Then how about proving it?"
Justin grinned. "You mean you're finally ready to work off your dinner?" He moved his hand toward Brian's crotch to let the games commence, only to have Brian shake his head solemnly. "No. I mean in another way." He exhaled deeply before saying simply, "Marry me."
That caused Justin to immediately stop what he was doing as his mouth fell open in complete shock. He laughed. "Oh, my God, I could have sworn you just asked me to marry you." He smiled over at Brian and chuckled sheepishly, expecting the other man to roll his tongue into his cheek and smile back at him impishly in response, but instead Brian merely stared into his eyes as he told him quietly, "I did."
Justin's eyes widened in astonishment as his heart began to pound. "You...you did?"
Brian peered into the intense, blue eyes as he nodded, licking his lips to wet them, his mouth suddenly feeling dry. "Yeah, I did." He lightly trailed the back of his hand over Justin's cheek. The words were out there now, and there was no going back. "You heard right," he informed him in a whisper. "I just asked if you would marry me. Now the question is, Mr. Taylor: What is your answer?"
Same Time - Tristan's bedroom
"Oh, my God! I swear, I will never get used to seeing my little sister kissing a dude!" Tristan remarked, looking down from his window at River pulling up to the curb and walking hand-in-hand to the front door before he and Kayla locked lips right underneath his view. "Shit, it seems like only last week she was playing with her Barbie Dream House. When did THIS happen?" He continued to stare agape at the two of them still going at it. "What's he doing now? A full-cavity body search?" Even now, even when he thought of River as a good guy who treated his sister well, he was still quite protective of her.
"Would you stop spying on them? Come over here and frisk ME instead!" Gus suggested from his place over on the bed.
That finally got Tristan's attention as he turned around and grinned. "Best idea you've had all day," he replied huskily as he walked back over to the bed. He smirked as Gus's eyes swept appreciatively over his tattooed chest before he knelt on the bed and lay back down next to the other boy, his head resting on Gus's chest as Gus played with his dark hair.
"Do you think he said yes?" Gus suddenly asked.
"Who?"
Gus grasped Tristan's head with his hands so he could peer into his boyfriend's face. "What do you mean, who? Justin, of course!" Even though he was certain that his father and Justin loved each other deeply, Justin was still so young compared to his Dad. Would he resent the idea of being tied down and that committed to someone at his age? He still had his entire life in front of him, just like he and Tristan did. He couldn't bear the idea of his father being disappointed.
Tristan grinned, amused that Gus really thought he didn't know who he had been referring to. Gus finally couldn't stand it any longer, and had told him what was going on earlier in the day. "Oh! Yeah, sure."
"You really think so?"
"Of course!" He reassured him. "I've never seen two people more in love than those two..."
"What about us?" Gus said looking up at him.
"Well, except us," Tristan replied as he winked at him and Gus blushed. "Like father, like son," he added softly. "They both love passionately, luckily for both me AND Justin." Gus seemed to like that answer as Tristan was promptly rewarded with a deep kiss, thoughts of Kayla, River, Gus's father, and Justin promptly pushed aside.
Across Town...
Justin gaped at him, totally thrown off balance. "I...Brian...I don't know what to say..."
"I know you're still in school," Brian began. "And I know we'll have some things we'll need to work out. But you're living with me already, and we're spending all our free time together anyway, so..."
Justin twisted so he was lying half on, half off Brian's body as he stared down into his eyes. "Brian, those aren't reasons just to get married. Like you said, we're doing all that anyway. Why do we need a piece of paper to add credence to it? Besides, I never imagined you would even want that."
"Don't you?" was the probing question. Although he suspected he didn't really need to ask that; while Justin was more than capable of taking care of himself, he also knew that his lover needed the reassurance that he was loved, that he was special for who he was, not what his parents had wanted him to be. Justin had known rejection all his life growing up, but he had still managed to persevere. To Brian, he was simply perfect in every way for him, and he wanted to remind him of that every day.
"Well...yes," Justin admitted just like Brian thought he would. "I guess so. One day."
"One day? And when would that be, Justin? What 'day' are you waiting for?" he asked softly as he held him in his arms. "Would that 'day' be with me if it happened?"
Justin could feel his lover's strong heart beating beneath him as he whispered hoarsely, "You know it would be." He took a breath and let it out. "I love you, Brian. You're the one; you're the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. If I ever did get married, it would be with you by my side when it happens. But..."
"But nothing, Justin." Brian swallowed hard, feeling the butterflies skittering around in his gut. How could he make him understand? "Sunshine, I've had more than enough time to fuck around. Once I met you, though, I found out I didn't need to do that. I didn't want to do that. I only want you."
"But you have me..."
Brian smiled. "And me, you," he told him, their legs tangled together as he peered into the fathomless, blue eyes. "But...fuck!" he told him. "I don't know why exactly or even when it happened. But I think it was when Lindsay was trying to take Gus away from me. I thought about how I would feel if someone took YOU away, too, and I realized I couldn't imagine my life without you in it, either. I guess I decided that I wanted everyone to know how committed I am to you." He laughed softly. "Don't get me wrong; I'm NOT getting hitched in some church or justice of the peace. I would do it in style."
Justin grinned. "Of course. I would expect nothing less." His face turned serious as he asked him, "Brian, are you sure? And what about Gus? How do you think he'll feel about this?"
"He's fine with it," he assured him.
Justin's eyes widened. "You talked to him about this?"
Brian nodded. "Of course. I had to make sure. I had to make sure he really was okay with us being together."
"And...?"
"And he told me he's very happy with Tristan, and he's fine with the idea. You've seen the two of them together. He's long past the puppy love stage now."
"Puppy love stage, huh? That's all I was to him? A cocker spaniel?"
"Well, you have the 'cock' part right." Justin rolled his eyes at him as Brian snickered. His face soon turned serious as he scolded, "Justin, don't change the subject. You know what I mean. I mean he's over his infatuation with you. But I'm not. And it's not just an 'infatuation.' You know that...Don't you? You do know how much you mean to me, right?" He reached up to gently brush some rebellious hair back from Justin's eyes and tuck it behind his ear. "Justin?"
Justin nodded with a smile. "Yeah, I know. But not half as much as you mean to me."
"I'm not so sure about that, Sunshine," he told him honestly. He stared deeply into his lover's eyes. "Justin, I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy. Making us both happy." He took a deep breath of resolve. "So what's it going to be, Mr. Taylor? Will...Will you marry me and make yourself the happiest man on earth?"
Justin laughed as Brian curled his lips under playfully. "Pretty sure of yourself, huh?" His heart was overflowing with love for this incredible, quirky man who had demonstrated time and time again with his son how deeply his own heart could love. He finally smiled, sensing just a bit of trepidation and uncertainty behind the golden, hazel eyes that were peering into his, as he told him, "Yes. Yes, I will marry you. But you're wrong about something," he told him softly as Brian's face fell slightly. That is, until Justin explained, "I'm already the happiest man on earth."
April - Island of Maui
Brian slowly awakened to a warm breeze caressing his face; he smelled the salt air and heard the sea gulls crying overhead, and the waves crashing against the beach as the toes of his bare feet dug into the finely-grained, hot, white sand. He lifted his head slightly to peer at the crystal clear water, the quickly setting sun awash with spectacular shades of purple and orange; it was absolutely stunning in its beauty and intensity. He lay his head back down onto the sand, deciding that if there was, indeed, a heaven, this would be the closest approximation to it. A feeling of fulfillment and contentment filled him as he smiled.
"So this is where you ran off to," he heard a familiar voice saying dryly from behind him as he sat up, twisting his torso around to confirm that it was, indeed, Justin, and that this was not a dream; not this time. His heart skipped a beat at the glowing look and beaming smile on his lover's face as Justin walked up to extend a hand down to help him rise to his feet. He looked stunning, even though he was wearing a simple, plain, white, linen shirt and a pair of casual, drawstring pants around his slender hips. A lei was wrapped around his neck, a peek of pale skin poking out from behind the aromatic flowers. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to escape from me," he teased him as he reached to brush off some of the sand from Brian's matching white shirt and pants, and place the other lei he held in his hand around his fiancé's neck. With Brian's bronze skin tone and auburn-colored hair, it set off his outfit to perfection. And, of course, with his bare feet, Brian felt right at home in his shoeless attire. To Justin, however, he couldn't wait to get the man OUT of what he was wearing as soon as the ceremony was over. A private, over-the-water, luxury tiki hut was waiting for them to explore, complete with a king-sized bed, a secluded balcony and a hot tub.
"There, now you can tell everyone that you got 'lei'd' before the wedding."
Brian snorted as he scrunched up his nose in response to the overly-sweet scent coming from the hibiscus flowers. "Well, cum never smelled like this before," he groused, unable to keep from grinning eventually as Justin laughed at him.
"Everyone's waiting for us," he told him indulgently. "Come on. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner you can REALLY get laid."
Brian cocked his head to consider that before he smiled and nodded, reaching to take Justin's hand as they both walked barefooted back toward the small group waiting for them. The size of the group there was relatively small - just Gus, Tristan, Kayla, River, and Justin's grandmother Nancy, in addition to the minister - all attired in casual beachwear and wearing smaller versions of the same leis that Justin and Brian wore. It was distinctly small as far as most weddings went. But as the two men walked over to the informal group and Brian peered over at the people who meant the most to him and Justin, he couldn't help thinking that it was the perfect size.
"Shall we get started?" the minister asked as both men nodded. Gus helped Justin's grandmother to her seat in the front row before walking over to stand proudly next to his father; he smiled over at his boyfriend sitting between her and Kayla, who was holding onto River's hand tightly as she sniffled. Gus shook his head in amusement as she accepted a tissue from her boyfriend and blew into it, her eyes filled with sentimental tears.
The sky had turned into a spectacular, artistic masterpiece of oranges and purples as it hung low over the water now, making Justin itch to take a sketch of it. But he knew there would be more of the same opportunities to come. For now, he couldn't think of anything more beautiful than the gleaming, golden wedding band that Brian soon slipped on his finger, or the open look of adoration in his new husband's eyes as they sealed their union with a kiss.